The director of a century-old boys camp in Delhi said there was no indication a former choir director had an interest in child pornography.
Charles L. Burks, 28, formerly of Slingerlands, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy in federal court in Albany last week on his guilty plea to a charge of receipt of child pornography.
James Adams, Lake Delaware Boys Camp director, said Monday that Burks was well-known in the choir world and came highly recommended to the camp.
"He was a graduate of Yale University and was considered one of the bright young choir directors," Adams said. "This is a tragic thing in the life of a talented young man who had a lot of potential."
Adams, pastor at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Geneva, said extensive background checks are done by the camp.
"I personally pride myself with the level and quality of the supervision and training of the staff," Adams said. "But with all the careful screening we do, there is never a guarantee."
He said the camp has specific policies for sexual misconduct prevention, and the first rule is that no adult is ever alone with a camper.
"There was never anything about (Burks) that tipped us off," Adams said.
At the time he committed the offense, Burks was employed as the director of music at the Cathedral of All Saints in Albany.
Adams said Burks' last year at the Lake Delaware Camp was 2005. He added that Burks was a part-time counselor who commuted from Albany.
Burks pleaded guilty July 17, admitting that while residing in Slingerlands, he received child pornography on his computers.
When interviewed by law-enforcement officials, Burks admitted that he has a sexual interest in young boys ages 9 to 14, according to court records.
Burks was arrested for endangering the welfare of a child June 12, 2006, in Syracuse after he used a mirror to view young boys using the restrooms at the Alliance Bank Stadium during a Skychiefs' baseball game.
Adams noted that Burks has never been accused of sexual abuse.
Lake Delaware Boys Camp was founded in 1909 to give boys who could not afford it an opportunity to attend summer camp. A majority of the campers come from inner-city neighborhoods, but local boys also attend.
"There has never been any charge or fee from the beginning," Adams said. "The camp is entirely supported by volunteer donations."
Adams, who has been camp director since 1988, attended the camp from 1960 to 1968 and was a counselor from 1969 to 1974. He said his father, Ken Adams, attended the camp in 1919.
The camp runs for five weeks each summer, with 85 to 95 boys spending five weeks in a highly structured, military based program. The camp also has a religious component and is affiliated with the Episcopal Church.
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Patricia Breakey can be reached at 746-2894 or at stardelhi@stny.rr.com.
